Elephant seal found in Cape Town suburb returns home
Community members rallied together after they found an elephant seal wandering around the suburb of Gordon's Bay.
Social media was abuzz on Tuesday morning after a video showed an elephant seal moving around the suburb of Gordon's Bay, Cape Town.
In KZN, we are used to seeing monkeys, cows, and even hippos roam around our residential areas — but a seal? Not so much. The marine visitor was a long way from home and surprised residents when it was found exploring the suburb's streets.
It's not every day you see a seal on your street, so you can imagine how surprised and intrigued residents were. Many shared videos on social media and wondered how and why this beautiful creature made its way to the burbs.
Check out the video from Instagram below.
The Good Things Guy reported that while the elephant seal looked unharmed, it wasn't ideal for the sea creature to be almost a kilometre inland. The community came together to ensure the safety of both the seal and humans.
"A full-scale, compassionate rescue unfolded with lightning-speed coordination. Law Enforcement, Traffic Services, SAPS, Gordon’s Bay Security and Gordon’s Bay Medical Ambulance Services swiftly arrived to secure the area and redirect traffic."
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA, the City of Cape Town’s Coastal Management and Marine Unit, SANParks, Two Oceans Aquarium, Shark Spotters, and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) all joined forces to find the best way to return the animal home.
It was inspiring to see how the community united to help the seal to safety. After hours of rescue, the teams sedated the seal and safely transported it to Koggel Bay, a spot on the coast that is said to be better suited to its species.
We couldn't agree more with Good Things Guy's sentiments: "This wasn’t just a surreal wildlife encounter. It was a masterclass in kindness. A powerful reminder that when something strange and beautiful enters our lives, even briefly, we have a choice: to look away or to lean in with empathy and care."
Watch the seal's release on Instagram.
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Image Courtesy of Facebook